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Atrial Fibrillation surprise

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by bwilson4web, Nov 7, 2013.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Ok, I spoke with them. I'm still unhappy but understand:
    • $1,500 deductible
    • With $337, I'm at ~$1,450 deductible
    • Had I reached $1,500, I would have had only 20% of the $337
    Bob Wilson
     
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  2. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Bob's weight-reduction program has converted some amount of adipose tissue to CO2. A (voluntary) exercise for readers is to calculate the conversion factor.

    Maybe someone here remembers the Journal of Irreproducible Results paper that looked at obesity as carbon-sequestration? Same idea, but going in the other direction.
     
  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Sorry to sound like a broken record but I've made progress on the AFIB and got a letter from the insurance company:
    • Bob's Holter Page - this is an introduction to the medical condition, atrial fibrillation, and my use of a personal, Holter monitor to find out whether or not this will keep me from flying. This web page is not medical advice but what I've learned about ECG/EKG technology as it applies to me.
    • Insurance letter - ". . . you have filed an appeal regarding a letter . . . Dr. Ramakrishna Swarma was out of network . . . You were in the emergency room at the time these services took place and you had no control over which doctor admitted you . . . although Dr. Swarma himself is not participating . . . he may bill as part of a group of physicians that is participating . . . " Yesterday I traced a medical bill on the health savings account VISA card to an ER physician's group out of Oklahoma City. For this old man of Scottish ancestry, my frugal heart is relieved.
    Bob Wilson
     
  4. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    Interesting web page. I suppose your physicians are surprised by this degree of 'participation'. Don't understand though why there are unidentified pee events - you can't hit a clock button in the porcelain room?
     
  5. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    This particular unit has a 'Marker' button to flag events but I didn't realize I needed to 'make one' every time I needed to pee. I think the marker button is there for those who report symptoms, "Oh dear, I have the vapors." But I have been completely free of symptoms and this has been my experience with the Holter:
    • 262.8 hrs - including my learning curve
    • 32 hrs - hospital AFIB pre-conversion
    Now I've started a fresh capture with a tweaked electrode configuration plus the recommended dosage of FLECAINIDE, which is supposed to help control tachyarrhythmias. Now my baseline without FLEXAINIDE shows there are some sinus tachyarrhythmias:
    • mostly singles - scattered throughout
    • fewer duals - more often found while sleeping
    • only one or two with more over 15-20 second intervals, so far, only when sleeping
    Even if I had AFIB symptoms, I'm not very observant when asleep. It is only with the Holter that I'll ever know if this medication has a clinically significant effect.

    Did I ever mention my Dad was a medical doctor and pathologist and my Mom a registered nurse? So I have history. <grins>

    Bob Wilson
     
  6. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Ablation scheduled for 6 AM, about 15 minutes.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Wow, ten years, All the best!
     
  8. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Turns out my blood was too thin so they did a cardio conversion. Less invasive so I'm home with a regular heart beat. But it usually goes away after 3-4 months.

    We'll come up with better plan and reschedule.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    I hope they figure out something for you Bob!
    Not to steal your thunder, but I had femoral artery vascular surgery on Friday, and they put me on plavix for 90 days to help prevent blood clots.
    I’m already on a baby aspirin, and a ton of cholesterol medication.
    Heart scan showed a dim future and surgery likely at some point.
    Gotta love modern medicine though, a lot of us would be dead without it.
     
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  10. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    Hope you both have a speedy and successful resolution to your health challenges.

    You both add a great deal to the Prius Chat community!
     
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  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Wow missed this thread started over a decade ago. I wonder how many other fib'ers there are among us. The meds they put me on years ago work - so hopefully I won't have to do ablation. The 1st time - (22yrs old) was after an ultimately strenuous scuba dive & md's thought it was a bad gas mix. Heart reverted on its own while in ICU. Next 2 times over 4 decades - they had to use the zappers.
    The doctors said the dangerous thing is if you don't go in within 24 hours that the blood often pools in your heart & may clot & go to your brain. then you get to suffer stroke symptoms the rest of your life presuming you live
     
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  12. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I could never tell when I was in AFIB without instrumentation. This is my 4th conversion so we'll come up with a new plan:
    • Schedule ablation on a Thursday so we can monitor my blood thinner over the preceding days.
    • Coordinate a Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday INR test series to get my INR to 2.5.
    • GIT 'ER DONE!
    My one stupid ... rolling down the hall with my doctor in front, I said, "Hey Doc, I feel better." ... Right after coming out of general anesthetic. <SHADE>

    Bob Wilson
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i have pvc's, leads to afib eventually i think
     
  14. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    I never considered that different symptoms were possible with different people. All 3 of my instances were defiantly noticeable. It brought on an intense feeling of exhaustion ... as tho being awake for 3 straight days ... and the heart beat was really faint.
    Funny story about the 3rd time - maybe just 4 years ago (one year prior to retiring). I felt it come on & thought, "good thing i'm going in for a yearly physical after work". Wife calls me at work & says, "your breathing is heavy, what's wrong". I told her my stinking heart is out of whack again, so i'll let Dr. Huesby 1st thing at the physical in a couple hours.
    LOL
    Refusing her demand, you should have heard "she-who-must-be-obeyed" yell at me, "GO TO the EMERGENCY ROOM NOW !!!
    Dr's office was in the same structure as the hospital, so when he tell me he's sending me to the ER, I said I'd just walk. Nope, he called out paramedics & it took longer (30 minutes) for these good folk to drive me there on a gurney, than if i'd just walked (less than 5 minutes).
    I learned whether you're in stellar health (cycling 100 miles & one mile swims in the lap pool) or whether you're a poster child for horrible health ... it can still happen. Still ... it make a health nut think, "well that exercising & diet was a big waste"
    ;)
    .
     
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    unfortunately, there's not much you can do on your own for bad genetics, but taking care of yourself has to be easier on a bad heart than letting yourself go.
     
  16. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    i joke with my wife that i try & exercise so that if i out live her i'll get a couple years w/out getting yelled at
    ;)
     
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  17. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Per CDC, women live longer, 79 years, than men, 73 years. So a wife should be 6 years older?

    Bob Wilson
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    LOL, mrs b and i are the same age, but she'll outlive me by 15-20 years easy. genetics are everything.
    i should have married a 40 year old when i was 20 :cool:
     
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  19. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Holly was 13 year my senior but passed Dec 16, 2000 ... 43 years.

    Bob Wilson
     
  20. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    i joked w/ my wife that I'll marry a 40-year-old. She was shocked and said I better not. I said ok ..... then how about two 20yr olds
    ;)
    .